STEP 4: Defining the Strategy

In order to formulate possible ICT solutions a good understanding of the required ICT services and processes is needed. For this again the “process maps” produced in Step 1 are an excellent reference point to understand what kind of ICT processes are in place and why specific systems have been deployed to support these. It should be clear what the role is of these systems in terms of their outputs and how they manage or add value to the processes. This understanding is needed for finding more “streamlined solutions”, that support the maximum of services and processes with the minimum of ICT systems, hardware, software, infrastructure etc.

Process

Maintaining systems is expensive, and determining where systems are redundant and possibly can be made obsolete, and indicating where one system can serve more processes instead of many systems serving many processes, can provide valuable input to finding the right combination (i.e. configuration) of processes and systems. Finding the right configuration of processes and systems is not an exercise that is carried out in one go. It will take iterations of making an overview of processes and systems and determining from there what is likely to be redundant. The example in Appendix ICT 4.1 shows how such an exercise is carried out using the process maps.

Technology

After going through the iterations of mapping processes with systems, it will become clear where old systems can be re-used, merged and where new ones may have to to be implemented.  As part of the solution, statements can be made as to whether “a department really needs its own data centre to run specific applications, or whether two departments combine resources and make use of the same data centre, share resources and ultimately save costs”. Linked to this is are solutions regarding infrastructure i.e. whether an upgraded infrastructure is required in terms of network cabling, connection points, wireless access points, data centre housing such as racks, but also hardware such as Auxiliary Power Units (APU), Personal Computers (PCs), printers and scanners etc. All of this should, where possible, be assessed and quantified. Also Appendix ICT 4.1. continues to provide examples of applying the process maps.

People

When introducing new systems and making available new ICT services, the requirements for human resources also come into focus. Questions that need answering are what type of training should be provided to staff to be able to provide optimal ICT technical and user support, and how should the roles and responsibilities be (re)organized. The eventual Action Plan for information and communication technology should include activities to address the need for increasing skills and establishing new working methods and procedures.

Formulating the recommendations and action plan

After establishing an overview of possible solutions (menu of solutions) with an understanding of their pro's and con's the recommendations can be presented (Appendix ICT 4.2), both in a summarized overview as well in full detail, along with their activities.

The entire description of recommendations should be concluded by a tabular overview of the recommendations, listing their activities, outcomes, priority and stakeholders (Appendix ICT 4.3) and with a table that proves that the recommendations are addressing the challenges (Appendix ICT 4.4)

The Action Plan (Appendix ICT 4.5) is an elaboration of the recommendations and activities (Appendix ICT 4.3) over time.